The present invention relates to image recording equipment capable of selectively discharging sheets each carrying an image thereon to either one of the operating side of the equipment where the operator is expected to stand and the side opposite thereto, depending on the number of sheets to be discharged to a tray.
In a copier, facsimile transceiver, printer or similar image recording equipment, sheets each carrying an image thereon are sequentially driven out to a tray face down in order of page and then removed from the tray by the operator. Usually, the tray is located on the side of the equipment opposite to the operating side where the operator is expected to stand. Let the operating side and the side opposite thereto be referred to as the front and the rear, respectively. In such a configuration, the operator cannot remove the sheets from the tray unless the operator makes a long arm for the sheets. This is especially true when the recording equipment is large size. In light of this, the sheet discharge path may be switched over to discharge the sheets to the top of the equipment in place of the tray located on the rear of the equipment. This, however, causes the sheets to be discharged face up to the top of the equipment and, therefore, in the reverse order with respect to page. As a result, the operator has to rearrange the pages of the sheets after all the sheets have been discharged.